Performances you love from skaters you don't | Golden Skate

Performances you love from skaters you don't

zamboni step

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
There's usually a few performances/programs out there that skaters we aren't the biggest fans of perform. What are they and why? This is not an excuse to start bashing skaters and then throw a link in at the end. Apologies if this is already a thread.

For me there is:

Julia Lipnitskaya 2012 Finlandia SP- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWwOTg7HkZ8 This is my favourite program from her other than her Schindler's List program. It's fun, it's energetic and it has something going on most of the time. I was quite surprised by how well I enjoyed the performance and the speed of the spins at the end perfectly match the increasing pace of the music.

Miki Ando 2005 Cup of Russia SP- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVGPYUm8Bvs I have to admit FlattFan gave me the idea for this topic by posting about this very skate. Here she had a beautifully choreographed program, lovely spins, the jumps were to die for(why the 3-3 was downgraded is beyond me) and she really used all the movements to highlight the music. It makes me sad seeing what she could have been had she not gone to Morozov, although her success may not have been the same so maybe it was for the best.

Agnes Zawadzki 2013 Cup of Russia LP- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW2ZS-2LZf4 The first time I've seen her packaged correctly and it looks pretty good, tango suits her which surprises me. The jumps were off but I really think this could be a good vehicle for her if she learns to skate it clean, a fair amount of choreographic detail that relates to the music. Nice!

Maxim Kovtun 2013 Cup of Russia SP- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GDjwfl0RKo He really benefited from having the home crowd supporting him, he attacked it and whilst the choreography was quite sparse at points I still enjoyed watching him skate. His speed and posture going into jumps didn't bother me as much here either for some reason.

Yan Han 2013 4CC SP- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5_PmrOdIaY Blazing speed, amazing quality of jumps and the choreography wasn't half bad. I wish he'd emote more but I still enjoy watching this performance.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
This is a really good idea for a thread, because it stretches us out of our accustomed vantage point and gets us to think of skaters we don't normally enjoy. The first one that comes to mind for me: I was not a fan of Oksana Baiul's, but when I saw her "Swan Lake" Olympic short program all those years ago, I was blown away by it. I was still rooting for Nancy Kerrigan, but I could see what the fuss was all about from that program.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
A few that come to my mind:
Plushenko 2012 Euros
V/T 2013 NHK
B/S during the 2012-2013 season
 

meem

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Sasha Cohen's 2006 SP. When I first learned that she was skating to Dark Eyes I groaned - never liked the song (& wasn't a SC fan). However, from the very first time I saw her skate this SP early in the season, I loved it: the song, the costume, the choreography all worked perfectly with Sasha's style & look on the ice. From that time on, I enjoyed her skating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KdHT1R2xJc
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Johnny Weir's Otonal
Michelle Kwan's Fields of Gold (mainly because I love the song)
 

CarneAsada

Medalist
Joined
Sep 17, 2011
Irina Slutskaya's 2002 SP to Schubert's Ständchen. I might be biased because it's Schubert, but I thought it was great, deserving of 1st place.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Bestemianova & Bukin's Carmen FD
Fusar-Poli & Margaglio's Quickstep OD
Punsalan & Swallow's Cars FD to Yellow and their Worlds 1998 Tango FD
B&S's OD to The Red Poppy as 2 sailors
 

jennyanydots

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Plushenko - Tribute to Nijinski LP
Ashley Wagner - Black Swan LP
Yuna Kim - Tango de Roxanne SP, Danse Macabre SP, Gershwin LP, Meditation from Thais Ex
Gracie Gold - Three Preludes SP (yeah, in the minority that like that program)
Miki Ando - Why Do People Fall in Love 2011 Worlds Ex (It was an emotional performance for her which made it memorable to me.)
Kanako Murakami - Violin Muse SP, Pray for Taylor SP, Tango LP (She's not a pretty skater, but she's adorable and performed those programs well.)
Oksana Baiul - The Swan Ex (That program was just unreal, but I thought she gangly was generally overhyped at the time.)
Julia Lipnitskaya - Schindler's List LP (I hated watching her before, but she's converted me to a fan this season.)
 

Sophie-Anna

Medalist
Joined
May 24, 2013
Irina Slutskaya-2005 LP at worlds
Julia Lipnitskaia-Schindler's List
Plushenko-Carmen, especially 2002 olympics
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
This is an interesting thread. It makes you think out of the box. I usually have reasons for why I don't like a skater (poor posture, lack of stretch, etc) so I usually don't like any program of that kind of skater. One that does stand out is Irina Slutskaya and her Worlds winning LP in 2005.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvBSI97Vuw8


Oh another one I found really fun was Danielle and Steve Hartsell's 98-99 SP. The music was quirky and excellently choreographed by Norbert Schramm. Poor Steve never had any stretch, and it was kind of icky seeing siblings skating to Romeo and Juliet. So despite the ick factor of the Hartsells, I really liked that SP. I only found their Worlds performance, but the sound isn't good, and they really nailed it at Nationals.
 

Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
I admit to usually being biased towards my American skaters, but I loved the short programs of all the Russians in 1999. Don't ask me how I even remember after 14 years, LOL! Anyway, Irina skated to a very catchy new-agey type of song, Evgeni did the saber dance and Alexei Yagudin dressed like a piano and played his own leg to a rockabilly, sped up Nutcracker (I think). All of these programs were cheerful and happy, so different from the very heavy, serious programs you see today.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
Alexei Yagudin's "Lawrence of Arabia," Winter," "Racing"

Philippe Candeloro's "D'Artagnan"

Timmy Goebel's "An American in Paris" & "American Pie" (an exhibition program he did in COI)
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Being a North American, I was excited about Bourne/Kraatz, so I didn't enjoy Annissina/Piezerat. The program that changed my mind and made me a fan was their Romeo and Juliet. Hey, thought I, they're not just being propped up by Euro-phile judges. They're amazing!

So I don't know if that counts as "a program I like by a team that I don't like" or more of a turning point, but either way, I wasn't a fan of theirs when I first saw that program.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Being a North American, I was excited about Bourne/Kraatz, so I didn't enjoy Annissina/Piezerat. The program that changed my mind and made me a fan was their Romeo and Juliet. Hey, thought I, they're not just being propped up by Euro-phile judges. They're amazing!

So I don't know if that counts as "a program I like by a team that I don't like" or more of a turning point, but either way, I wasn't a fan of theirs when I first saw that program.

Oh yes. I just 'didn't like them' and then R/J happened and I was transfixed. I also was wearing thin on Shae-Lynn and her crybaby scowls and tears by that time too. What a brilliant program that was, R/J.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdsrJwv0zOw

Marina and Gwendal are both impossibly beautiful, it almost seemed like a Disney cartoon. I loved this program. Poor Victor Kraatz. He was probably THE best ice dancer in the world for years, but had to settle for Shae with accompanying results. He was Baiul-like in that he could skate to anything. Shae was either perky or pouty. As one would say "She ran the gamut of emotions from A to B." And I think this is the first and only time I could ignore the female in the pair. All I saw was Victor skating out there. He was an amazing dancer. Alas, alack.
 

Sylmjk

Spectator
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
LOVE: Johnny Weir-anything!
Alexei Yagudin-Lawrence of Arabia
but mostly.....MICHELLE KWAN. Everything is always perfect...the outfit goes with the music goes with the skating goes with the story she
tells on ice. Some have come close, but no female skater embodies the sport as she does.

DO NOT LOVE: I do not care for so much of the nondescript music so many use today....I can't even recall their names, the music is just sort of "there"
in the background. It doesn't have to be a top of the charts Lady Gaga hit, or Carmen (again) but in competition it should be something some of the audience recognize-
otherwise absent a phenomenal performance, it just all blends in and does not really showcase the talent. With some of the music selected, I find myself thinking a silent performance would be just as good.
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
LOVE: Johnny Weir-anything!
Alexei Yagudin-Lawrence of Arabia
but mostly.....MICHELLE KWAN. Everything is always perfect...the outfit goes with the music goes with the skating goes with the story she
tells on ice. Some have come close, but no female skater embodies the sport as she does.

DO NOT LOVE: I do not care for so much of the nondescript music so many use today....I can't even recall their names, the music is just sort of "there"
in the background. It doesn't have to be a top of the charts Lady Gaga hit, or Carmen (again) but in competition it should be something some of the audience recognize-
otherwise absent a phenomenal performance, it just all blends in and does not really showcase the talent. With some of the music selected, I find myself thinking a silent performance would be just as good.

I'm not sure you understood the concept of this thread ... but welcome to the forum anyway!
 

Sylmjk

Spectator
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
I'm not sure you understood the concept of this thread ... but welcome to the forum anyway!

Thanks Aftertherain-no I admit I got a bit dyslexic when I read it!! I don't dislike or not care for any skater, so I can't say anything about a grudging admiration for
one in a performance I don't really care for. I like them all and am blown away by the jumps and generally so athletic performances of all of them. That's why
sometimes the music they use bothers me! :confused:
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Here's three threads on Golden Skate that you might be interested in:

Music that Should not be used for skating
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?42540-Skating-music-you-can-t-stand&highlight=Music

Music that should be skated to
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?42794-Music-that-should-be-skated-to

and Do You like Your Favorite Skaters' Music Choices This Year
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...sical-choices-choreography-of-your-favourites

Welcome to the forum!
 
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